MUT Protests Stealth and Bullying Tactics – Strike on Monday to go on as Planned

The MUT has attended a conciliation meeting this morning, as required by law, during which details of this same meeting were disclosed while it was still taking place. The way the whole process was undermined this morning is symptomatic of the way the MUT and other stakeholders are being treated in order for the Ministry to get whatever it wants, either by stealth or through an impressive spin machine which is trying to put the rest of society against educators. The MUT, on behalf of its members, will never accept this state of play as it is only legitimately protesting against things which are crucial for an education system to work properly. The only result of these tactics is the increase in the disappointment of educators, which was shown today in schools where educators wore something black and changed their social media profiles to the one provided by the MUT: a symbolic measure to portray the message that business is not as usual.

Furthermore educators are not reassured by claims that the situation that developed regarding the education act is due to a misinterpretation of a particular clause as repeated by the Government. It is particularly insulting to hear such remarks when new clauses included in the act clearly and unequivocally mess with the professional status of educators achieved in 1988. The MUT has listed, earlier this week, a number of highly objectionable principles found in the tabled bills and the Ministry still fails to explain the reasons behind them.

In view of and following all this, the MUT Council held an ad-hoc meeting this afternoon and has decided the following:

– the MUT is not protesting just the current abominable proposed law but the way the whole saga developed, with three bills to replace the Education Act which no one had seen prior to being presented in Parliament;

– this industrial action is the culmination of many disappointments, including the negation and then minimisation of what the MUT has been saying since discovering the bills tabled in Parliament;

– respect is shown through actions and not through empty rhetoric – these events have shown the lack of respect towards educators and Monday’s action is being taken to safeguard the profession and the quality of education of all students;

– the MUT is still expecting the Government to withdraw the 3 education bills presented in Parliament;

– the MUT is confirming the one-day strike. All educators in State, Church and Independent schools including Post-secondary and Tertiary institutions are being directed not to report to work on Monday 8th October 2018. This includes all educators working in services, centres, departments and directorates. A set of industrial actions will also be issued following the strike. All members and non-members of the MUT are being covered by the Union during the strike action.

– last but not least, the MUT appeals to educators follow the industrial action to safeguard their professions.